Santa’s Tale

Santa’s Tale

A Children’s Opera by Anthony Plog
Libretto by Ronald Kidd

Santa’s Tale is the story of how an ambitious elf tries to take over the North Pole, and Santa, with the help of his sidekick Blitzen and a little girl named Molly, rallies to restore the spirit of Christmas. 

As the opera opens, Floyd, the new head elf, confronts Santa with customer research showing that Christmas is losing market share to Thanksgiving, Halloween, and especially to the ruthless Easter Bunny. On advice from consultants, Floyd announces that he is bringing Christmas into the twenty-first century. Santa will get a makeover, and Christmas presents, instead of being delivered on Christmas eve, will be ordered at a website, Ho-ho-ho.com. Floyd has decided to run a beta test with an eleven-year-old girl named Molly.

Santa goes for help to his trusted sidekick, Blitzen the reindeer, and together they work to restore Christmas, delivering a teddy bear to Molly and good cheer to children around the world.

How the Trumpet Got Its Toot

How the Trumpet Got Its Toot

A Children’s Opera by Anthony Plog
Based on a story by Ronald Kidd

Produced by Utah Opera, 2004

Once upon a time, a Trumpet was born to a pair of ordinary brass candlesticks. So begins a musical fable that introduces the instruments of the orchestra, while dealing in a charming, humorous way with themes that have always faced young people: leaving home to pursue one’s destiny, trying to discover what that destiny is, learning life’s lessons, dealing with rejection and failure, and following our dreams.

In Act One, the Trumpet realizes that he is not meant to be a candlestick but instead wants to play music. He meets a traveling Tuba named Joe, who describes a town called Sinfonia, where music is everywhere and the instruments of the orchestra live in harmony. The Trumpet, eager to go there, tearfully leaves his parents and sets out for Sinfonia with Joe to pursue his dreams.

Upon arriving in Sinfonia, the Trumpet is befriended by a Flute, who shows him that music can express joy, sadness, and the deepest desires of us all. As she finishes, a messenger announces a contest to determine who will be the Mayor’s new herald. Excited, the Trumpet decides to enter the contest.

A festive atmosphere opens Act Two as the crowd gathers for the contest. When the competition begins, each instrument or instrumental group auditions, so that we meet the instruments of the orchestra, discovering their unique sounds and personalities. The Trumpet, the last to audition, splatters the notes of a fanfare. The instruments laugh, and he slumps off in disgrace.

Several hours later, a disconsolate Trumpet walks the deserted streets of Sinfonia, wondering if he will ever discover his destiny. He notices that embers from the festival have started a fire, which is spreading through the town. The Trumpet yells for help, playing a fanfare loud and true. Windows open, people emerge, and they manage to put out the fire. The Trumpet’s fanfare has saved Sinfonia! He is appointed as the Mayor's new herald, finding his true calling at last.

“In the tradition of ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’ and ‘Peter and the Wolf’ comes Anthony Plog’s ‘How the Trumpet Got Its Toot,’ a fun little fable that acquaints listeners with orchestral instruments while delivering a useful lesson about perseverance, hard work, and finding one’s voice….. ‘Trumpet’ finds its voice, and it sings.”

The Salt Lake Tribune